Ian McKellen will give life to Jimmy Erskine, a cruel critic on tape The Critic of Anand Tucker
Ian McKellen explains why he prefers to play villains, even though the industry can “pigeon” him for it.
Anand Tucker ensures that Erskine’s role in The Critic works better for Ian McKellen’s experiences in his personal life.
Ian McKellen is one of the legends of cinema that have been applauded by himOscars, Tony, and the Oliviers repeatedly, being also one of the most prominent figures in the industry at the have been part of gigantic franchises as The Lord of the Rings y X-Men.
Now, the actor will once again step into the shoes of a controversial character in The Critic, Anand Tucker’s tape where McKellen da vida a Jimmy Erskinean acid theater critic who seeks influence an actress played by Gemma Arterton.
The character, described by the same director, It is a “very Mephistophelean” figure, one who has sold their morality for good seats in theaters. But, Why is Ian McKellen returning to the cinema with this new villain? The actor explains it.
Imagen: Sean Gleason via Variety
Why Ian McKellen prefers to play villains?
The Critic will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where lThe producers will seek a deal with studios to take the film around the worlda business that its director considers twill have “a lot to do with Ian McKellen’s performance.”
The character that Ian McKellen plays in the film is one with great dark and almost villainous overtones, which is why the actor claims to have greatly enjoyed the project.
“It’s usually the Devil who has the best sounds and the best dialogue, and it’s fun to play a terrible character who has big emotional problems”
Ian McKellen, Variety.
Likewise, the actor highlighted thatWhat attracted him to the film was not only the morally gray value of Erskine as a character, but the complete script of the film, which he found “intriguing, and a story that leans heavily toward melodrama.”
Image: BBC
Ian McKellen’s personal experiences in acting
Ian McKellen noted that much of his experience giving life to both heroes and villains, He has earned it from his time in theater and film, highlighting that he never went to acting school.
“Sometimes I wish I had a foolproof way to prepare.” he related, although later he added that he considers it impossible, since “each film and each work is unique to me.”
In itself, the actor described one of his strategies to reach his characters as a journey “from the outside in”, focusing on the more physical elements of them—movement, clothing, voice—to connect with them. However, there are characters with whom he assures has been able to connect better from his own experiences in life, one of them, the moment he came out of the closet in 1988.
“From then on my life changed for the better, and so did my attitude towards acting” he pointed out, ensuring that it was easier for him to become the characters by trying “hide oneself to imitate others.”
“People who aren’t gay just don’t know how much harm lying about who you are can do, and the shame you feel about it. I was dating when it was still illegal to have sex with another man, and that wasn’t that long ago.”
Ian McKellen
His experience is reflected in the character he brings to life in The Criticstory that happens in the 1930s and where Erskine, who is gay, is about to be fired after police arrested him for sexual activities. To keep his job he resorts to bribes, and from there, His life becomes that of “a villain without a moral compass.”
Imagen: LGBT Network Scotland
Did the director want Ian McKellen for the role?
Anand Tucker believes that much of the knowledge and Ian McKellen’s life really impacted the character that this one built for The Criticespecially when living among an intolerant society.
“I’m not a fan that you have to be gay to play a gay character.” Tucker commented, although he accepted that in the case of Ian McKellen, “There’s something about his own experiences that allowed him to bring a very genuine urgency to the character.”
“Ian had a great understanding of what it means to be alienated by that terrible feeling of hiding who you really are” ended.
However, both McKellen and the director stressed that it was not originally the actor who was going to bring the character to life, but Simon Russell Beale. However, after delays due to the pandemic, Beale was unable to participate further in the project.
About, Ian McKellen said he was satisfied with getting to the character even if it wasn’t the first choicen: “I don’t think you’ll ever be the first person they think of for something” she pointed out, adding that before being able to give life to Gandalf in the tapes The Lord of the rings, other actors were considered for the role that made him one of the most iconic actors in pop culture.
“Tony Hopkins turned it down, Sean Connery too. “Everyone is telling it now, and I hope they feel stupid about it.”
Imagen: Sean Gleason via Variety
2023-09-07 22:30:23
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